Waste of money

I agree with Duncan Barkes (I’ll Tell it Straight column, June 27) on the view that it is utter rubbish that the winter fuel allowance should be sent to ex-pat pensioners in hot countries.

By The Newsroom

Published 9th Jul 2013, 13:00 BST

Firstly, let us remind ourselves why and when this out-of-date allowance was introduced:

1) in 1982, we suffered one of the worst winters on record, when the effects of the volcanic eruption of Mount St Helens in Washington caused our temperatures in the January to plummet to minus 15 Celsius, for up to two weeks. I remember, as I was delivering milk for Unigate Dairies at the time.

2) Duncan is also right in dismissing the claim of ‘paying into the system’ re NI contributions is NOT a saving scheme. There is a clue in the title... national INSURANCE – meaning insuring against events including the NHS, plus the balance towards pensions.

The amount of £30m in winter fuel allowance paid to people overseas is irrelevant, it is still wasted.

What could that money be used for, one wonders?

Phil Tozer

The Hooe

Littlehampton